Joe Dumars is officially out as the Pistons’ President of Basketball Operations.

The team announced Dumars will step aside effective immediately.

“Joe Dumars is a great champion who has meant so much to this franchise and this community,” Pistons owner Tom Gores said in a statement. “We are turning the page with great respect for what he has accomplished not only as a player and a front office executive, but as a person who has represented this team and the NBA with extraordinary dignity.”

The team has begun a search for a new head of basketball operations.

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Director of Basketball Operations Ken Catanella and assistant general manager George David will prepare for the draft and free agency during the transition. Catanella and David will report to ownership executives Phil Norment and Bob Wentworth.

According to the Pistons’ press release “Mr. Norment said the organization has developed a preliminary list of candidates that includes ‘the best executives in the business,’ but he declined to place a specific timetable on selecting a replacement.”

Dumars will stay on as an advisor to the organization and ownership.

“It’s time to turn the page on a wonderful chapter and begin writing a new one,” Dumars said in a statement. “I’ve had the pleasure of working with some great people throughout the last 29 years as both a player and executive, and I’m proud of our accomplishments. Tom Gores and ownership is committed to winning and they will continue to move the franchise forward.”

Dumars took over as the Pistons general manager in 2000. He spent one-year in the front office prior to taking over as President of Basketball Operations. Prior to that he spent his entire 14-year playing career with the Pistons, winning two championships (1989, 1990).

The Dumars era in the front office fell on rough times as of late with the team set to the miss the playoffs for the fifth straight year, but there was plenty of good times during his reign.

The Pistons made the playoffs for eight straight years from 2002 to 2009, made six straight Eastern Conference finals (2003 to 2008), reached two NBA Finals (2004, 2005) and won the NBA championship in 2004.

Dumars built the 2004 championship team using castoffs in Chauncey Billups, Ben Wallace, Rasheed Wallace and Richard Hamilton.

He has not been able to find that same magic touch in recent years. The signing of Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva in 2009 proved to be a disaster. Gordon is out of the league and the Pistons had to give Charlotte a first-round pick to get rid of him, a pick they still owe the Bobcats.

This past offseason Dumars made a splash by signing Josh Smith and trading for Brandon Jennings, but both have been disappointing in their first season with the team.

Dumars has also struggled to find the right coach. Mo Cheeks was fired just 50 games into the season, making current interim head coach John Loyer the team’s fifth coach in the last six years.

Once the new general manager is in place they will have to hire a new coach and decide what to do in the NBA Draft where the Pistons will likely have a top 8 pick.

One of the biggest decisions for the Pistons this offseason will be what to do with restricted free agent Greg Monroe, who could demand a maximum contract. Monroe is free to talk to other teams, but the Pistons can match any offer he gets.

The Pistons had a logjam down low with Monroe, Smith and Andre Drummond this season. What to do with that trio will be a huge decision for the new GM.

Rodney Stuckey and Villanueva are unrestricted free agents and it would be a surprise to see other return so the new GM will have some cap room to work with.

Check out a photo gallery of Dumars’ 29 years with the Pistons organization.